Message from a Turtle
by AlexHamato
Summary: Karma has an ironic way of presenting itself in the life of Ms. April O'Neil.


_I was originally going to have this as much shorter, and putting it into my Turtle Soup series. After I was done, it was much too long to put there, so I decided to make it it's own piece. I'm basing the characters here, off the Comic version more. Although without April being drawn up by Kirby as his daughter and then having Robyn later. I'm going to integrate more of this AU into other stories of mine that will come up later. Mainly one, called Bonds of Betrayal. I suppose you could say that this is a side-story to that, which will only be hinting upon. So, this one-shot would be considered AU as well and what my interpretations of April's family growing up as a little girl, with a weird twist at the end. I hope you enjoy!_

_I do not own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Nickelodeon does. _

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It was a hot summer day. The sun was high in the sky, a beacon for the birds to fly upwards, into the dry breeze. In the prairie with grasses gold and brown, standing and as tall as the two little girls who ran through the thin blades. Their own strands of hair blended in so well to the land, one a head of light, strawberry red and the other an earthly brown.

"Can you find me, Mama?" The smaller of the two dove down into the dirt, hiding herself in the thick foliage. "You call Marco! I'm not gonna say Polo though. You have to come find me."

The woman stood above the grasses, which ended at the height of her long, yellow skirt. With hair a disheveled mess of crimson strands, the darker color only accented the green eyes and delicate features of her face. Eyes rounded and excitable, the woman laughed and waded through the grasses, easily picking up her little girl. "Do I call Marco now? Or should have I done that before I caught you?"

Little lips pouting with crossed arms and a defiantly raised chin, she said, "You cheated. I wasn't ready!"

"I think you were very ready." The woman swung the child to her side, the little one squealing and giggling like a piglet at play. "April! Have you seen my hat? I swore I left it around here somewhere."

"You lose everything," the small girl scolded her mother as she was being carried like a bushel of wheat, "How come you can find me, but not your hat? I think April took it."

"Did not!" An indignant cry echoed crisply over the dry, toasted air. "I didn't take anything, Robyn. Stop lying! You're just trying to get me in trouble. Mama left her hat in the car. She didn't even bring it outside."

"Is that so?" The mother-of-two patted the top of her own head, as if expecting her hat to magically materialize there. "Silly me. Well, then we're off. April, go get your sister's boots. I do believe she lost them again."

Flipping the girl upside down with the exposed toes wiggling about, the ditzy woman pinched the thick digits. "Don't! I didn't lose my shoes! April took them!" The girl's giggling was contagious to her mother, "Don't take my toes!"

"Oh-ho, I don't know about that. They're mighty fine toes indeed." The woman's cheer matched her daughter's as they wrestled around in the dried grasses, the blades crackling under their larger forms.

"Mama, we've got to go." A more serious set of emerald eyes flashed from under the rim of an eccentric yellow hat, which matched the color of her mother's dress. "Daddy's going to be mad if we're late to make lunch again."

"That old grizzly bear can wait." A ruffled skirt hid the other little girl, who trashed around in the folds. "It's not even quite eleven yet. We still have time."

Young April O'Neil huffed and threw down her sister's shoes with equal vigor and said, "But I went and found Robyn's boots! She threw them off again."

"No, you took them!" A shrill voice cried out from under the vast, pastel skirts. "I saw you!"

"Liar!"

"Mama, April called me a liar again! That's not nice. You should spank her."

Taking the bare feet by both hands, the woman heaved the little girl out of her entangled skirt and dangled her as a worm would be from a hook. "Nobody is going to get spanked. And it's not nice to lay blame on your sister either, Robyn. Come on, April is probably right. We should be heading back."

The woman with one little girl slung over her shoulder didn't see the exchange of taunting faces behind her back. A baby-blue Volkswagon Beetle was parked on no marked road, just a mountain of metal in the sea of grass. The small family loaded themselves up in the car; April in the front seat, much to the youngest daughter's displeasure. As soon as the car was rolling through the thick fields, she piped up, "Mama, how come I never get to sit in front? You always let April but not me."

"That's because I'm big and you're so small," April had a haughty tone which was well established as being five years her sister's elder, "And I'm Mama's favorite."

"Nu-uh! I'm Mama's favorite! Isn't that right, Mama?"

The girls quieted down as their mother dragged the beaten car through weeds and potholes, each dip causing the unbuckled children to pop into the air; they waited for her response. She hummed to herself and then smiled at the two of them, averting her eyes from where she was driving and almost running over an old wheelbarrow. They were close to the ranch house now. "My favorite? Such a hard choice."

Green eyes gazed at her imploringly, each begging to be chosen as her favorite. The woman laughed and said, "My favorite will be the one who does dishes after lunch."

Both responses were of equal disgust, little faces contorted with distaste as they shook their heads and said, "No!"

Laughing as the woman slammed on the breaks, sending the girls forward and catching April before the young girl fell into the dashboard; she turned off the car and said, "Maybe I can get the grizzly bear to do dishes. Who knows, I might still be able to charm the old rascal."

"What's a rascal?" Robyn asked.

"A scallywag! Like a pirate. Duh," April retorted as she opened her door to step out of the car, "But you wouldn't know that because you never read anything. You just play with dolls."

"You're calling me dumb!" The younger girl accused with wet eyes, "I'm not dumb! Mama, spank her! She called me dumb!"

"I didn't call you dumb, you liar! Stop making up bad things about me!"

The mother only gazed with a heart-felt amusement that gave an alluringly bright light to her eyes; this woman could never see any wrong in her children. As the girls began to pull the hair of the other and threaten to bite one another, a rough voice barked out, "Stop monkeying around and get inside."

Fighting ceased and the girls instantly quieted down, gathering their boots and hurrying up to run inside with echoed, "Yes, Daddy."

Their father stood taller than the woman, even with her wide brimmed at that seemed to encompass her entire head. Her laugh was a jingle of bells that could be heard from any room in the house as she stepped out of the car herself, slamming the door and moving with the grace of a dancer, up the steps. The man only looked at her from under the peppered, bushy brows as he grunted her welcome home.

Where her features were delicate and youthful, he had the look of man of many hardships. Long, laborious days in the sun had turned his skin to calloused leather filled with many age defined lines. His eyes were colder than hers, a deep gray instead of the vibrant green that marked the eyes of all females in his household. Even as the age difference was just under a dozen years, she gazed at him as if she was a love-struck teenager in the company of the fairest of knights.

"I do declare Kirby, you are the most handsome man that's ever grunted at me in such a fashion." She spoke as if she was in the deep south with Belles and chivalrous young men taking her fancy. With the traditional northern accent, this was quite a feat for their small community. Most of the folk in the town, just ten or so miles from their small range, were a quiet folk with simple lives that lacked the grandeur and excitement that Joann O'Neil seemed to always carry with her.

Kirby O'Neil scratched the end of his nose and nodded his head forward, stepping aside to let her through. If the man had a hat, he would have lifted it an inch from his balding scalp as she passed. "Ma'am."

"You're always so formal," she said with good cheer as she followed through, into the old house. The walls were adorned with countless pictures of the family. Brightly knitted blankets covered every square inch of furniture in the living room, all with eccentric designs and abstract shapes. Splashes and squeals could be heard from the kitchen, where the girls were fighting with the sink water.

"Down," the older man barked at his children as he sat himself at the table. They complied instantly, dying down the fight and joining him. In the presence of their father, the girls chatting quietly and made sure to mind themselves as their mother danced around the kitchen to set up a quick lunch. Most of the food was made from home, a common commodity for their family. All of the cupboards where made with a sturdy, resilient wood that had been passed down through the generations of the O'Neil family.

The lunch was simple, ham and cheese sandwiches with sides of cottage cheese and pickles. As the man ate silently, his girls gorged themselves and only slowed down themselves when he shot them a dangerous look. Even with just his eyes, the man could speak complete orders and always had his point be known. The young girls finished the last half of their sandwich quietly, eating slowly.

The mother didn't settle down to eat with her family, instead she took to the upper levels of the house where she changed into her evening wear. The nurse's scrubs were well worn as the seams were weak with use and the soles of her work shoes were worn down to almost bare. She grabbed an apple as she fluttered around the kitchen and house, her head snapping to and fro as she searched for something.

"April, have you seen my work hat? I thought I left it by the front door." The woman checked under the couch, bookshelves, and coffee table. Robyn giggled through a mouthful of food and almost choked, only to be saved from a smart slap to the back from her older sister.

"Chew your food first," April admonished her sister as she left the table to help find the hat. "It was in your room!" The young girl sprinted up the stairs, already developing hardy muscles from work on the ranch as her feet flew up the steps. While her mother ripped apart the living room in search of her work hat, Kirby tossed a napkin at his youngest daughter so that she could wipe up her face.

April's shout of triumph was heard from downstairs as she said said, "Found it! It was in the bathtub!"

Hat found and secured on her head, she made sure to kiss April on the top of her brow. Cries of, "I'm done! I'm done!" Rang through the kitchen as the youngest ran to her mother and said, "Daddy said that if I finish my food that I can play with my friends at the park."

"Alright, but we'll have to hurry. I'm already running late."

With that, the two of them left the house and packed up into the old beetle. Engine roaring down the high way and windows down, blowing both of their hair into complete disarray, they were laughing at each other as Joann pulled the car up to the side of the park. There were groups of children and mothers sitting together on bright blankets as they chattered idly. The familiar boom of the exhaust backfiring brought all attention to the car as little Robyn stepped out. "Don't forget to come get me, okay?"

"I'd never dream of it," the mother laughed and pulled her daughter back in to kiss her upon the brow as well, "Listen to me Ms. Robyn O'Neil, if you just wait right on that big green slide over there, I'll be able to find you. There's no way I'd lose my little girl."

"But you lose everything! Your hat, your keys, your watch, your shoe, your - "

"That's enough, my little motor mouth," she pecked her daughter on the nose and gave her cheek a good tweak. "Just wait on that slide and no matter what, I'll come get you."

"Promise?"

"Pinky promise." They intertwined their smallest fingers and giggled as the small children called out to Robyn, beckoning her over. The little girl pulled away from her mother and ran to them. Light teasing echoed through the park as the happy mother heard the boys poke fun at her daughter's hair. Fiery spirited as always, the young girl immediately leaped into a wrestling match and claiming that there was nothing wrong with her hair and that they were liars.

Pulling away from the curb, wanting nothing more than to stay and watch her daughter play, she knew that there were unsettled debts and bills that must be paid. As much as their ranch made, it was never enough for the large sum of gambling dead Kirby's father managed to build up before he passed away. Since his brother, Augustus O'Neil was off on another one of his adventures, that left the task to the oldest brother. Joann knew the hard work that her husband did and made sure to put just as much work into keeping his life as pleasant as she could. Even though she knew that they could have a more wealthy life in the city, her husband could never leave the land that his family has owned for so many generations. She would never let him make that sacrifice, so she would work to make sure that they could stay at that old farm house and be happy.

The work was long, even if it was only part of a shift, and the tired mother all but ran out of the small town clinic to keep the promise to her little girl. It had only been about four hours, but even so, she was running a little more late than expected and was pushing far past the speed limit so that Robyn wouldn't have to wait much longer. Her Mama would be with her soon.

What Mrs. Joann O'Neil didn't know was that there was a very old, and very large snapper turtle that was crossing the road in the next curve of the highway. It wasn't until her eyes caught the rounded figure that she swerved to avoid it, the left two tires becoming airborne as the car flipped on it's back, grinding it's hood against the soft dirt. The car was light and the frame was frail, so the crumbling of steel was deafening as the entire structure slid down the hill and into a great pond.

Everything was a roaring ring that deafened all other sound. Flashes of white light dazzled her vision as she tried to unhook her buckle and climb out. The tough clasp wasn't budging and already she could see the thick, muddy waters of the pond filtering through the shattered windows and flooding the car. With her world being upside down, the blood rushing to her head made it so that Joann had a difficult time focusing and keeping away. Her eyelids grew heavy as they yearned to be let down, so that she could rest. Just a little rest. Just a short nap to get some energy back. Nothing more.

But she couldn't sleep. She had to get out. She had to pick up her little girl from the park. She made a promise and Joann was going to make sure that she kept it. It wasn't until several hours later, when her high spirits began to dwindle as the buckle and strap was no less secure. Even with the car sinking so slowly into the mud, the water had now reached the very top of her head, encasing her red locks in the murky brown liquid. The woman screamed, pleaded, shook her seat and struggled to get out with more vigor than before. There was no movement. Only the slowly rising waters and the ominous sounds of wildlife coming back to live in the pond.

Toads, crickets, and birds all made a chorus of music that orchestrated so beautifully to the woman. If not for her predicament, she would have enjoyed the natural music more, instead of leaking hot droplets of stinging moisture from her eyes. She wasn't going to keep her promise. Her little girl was going to wait there, all alone. The woman knew that her girl would wait. Joann could picture it so clearly in her head, the kind neighboring women asking if Robyn would like a ride home. Where her daughter would proudly say no, that her Mama was coming to pick her up. Just like that, Joann could see her daughter's face so clearly.

The cold waters faded as she focused on remembering her eldest daughter. Almost a teenager, the girl was already far beyond her age. Such a big girl. If only she wasn't such a silly mother, maybe April could be more of a little girl. And her husband, a quiet man with such a big heart. None saw it but her, though. It was hard to get to it, so guarded and locked away. Joann knew that she was the only one with the key. She couldn't leave them all. Not when they needed her so much.

Dirt and grime encased in the water was almost in her eyes, so she huffed and curled herself up in a ball. Fighting gravity, she locked her hands behind her head and tried to rest it on the back of her arms, while her fingers clutched at the bottom of the steering wheel. Just a little longer. If she just held on, they will find her. Somebody will.

A turtle, the large one she avoided earlier, crawled into the cabin to stare at her. Eyes a bright amber, Joann was too tired to laugh at the irony and settled for a wavering smile. "Any chance you could help me out? I'm a bit stuck."

The turtle looked away from her and dug around where the roof of her car was still submerged in the water, looking for something to eat. Her eyes stung and she closed them, willing away the swimming world of blurred colors. She had to stay strong. "You shouldn't cross roads like that. Somebody might hit you." The turtle was too busy with it's head in the water to pay her any mind. "Could you do me a favor? It's not much. I just want you to give a message to my girls."

Drop. Drop. The turtle raised it's head from the water to gaze around to find the source of the hot, salty droplets raining down on it's back. "It's just a little message. Just, just tell them to watch over that grizzly bear of a father that they have. He - " It was raining harder now, a downpour on the confused terrapin. "He means well. They're good girls. They're my good girls."

Maybe it was a trick of her cloudy head, but Joann swore that the old turtle connected it's eyes with her and she saw a familiar depth to them. That with a dip of it's head, it agreed to her request and turned to swim out of the submerging car to tell them. The water, once brown, was now a deep and dark red as whatever wounds she had began to bleed more freely, now. Stretching forward, she closed her eyes and pressed her brow into the steering wheel, between her hands. She prayed to have the strength to watch over them in her end, that she can give her family strength in her absence. That the turtle who she opened her heart too would deliver her message. That her family could continue to be happy, even if she was not there to share that happiness with them.

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**A/N- So, yeah, most of these characters are totally revamped. I am honestly expecting either no responses, or flames. Ha ha ha ha! Mainly I wrote this because it ties into my other story, Bonds of Betrayal. That and M.D. Owen gave me idea about April's mother swerving to avoid the turtle, so I HAD to put it in. Regardless of it being almost completely from my point of view with little to no Canon, I still hope you guys enjoyed reading it. I actually had quiet a bit of fun writing it. Even at the end. **


End file.
